STONE TYPES & CARE

Here is a brief overview of the many stone and engineered stone materials we offer at Burlington Marble & Granite as well as care tips.

Granite

Available in a striking array of colors, granite provides the durability and longevity that make it ideal for kitchen countertops and other heavily used surfaces, including table tops and floors.

Granite, quarried from the mountains of Brazil, the U.S., India and dozens of other countries around the world, is one of the most popular of natural stones.

Interested in buying local? Then you will want to see some of the beautiful gray granites we offer that are quarried here in Vermont.

While some synthetic surfaces scratch easily and melt under hot cookware, granite resists heat. Granite is also one of the most bacteria-resistant kitchen surfaces, and it is not affected by citric acid, coffee, tea, alcohol or wine. It is also nearly impossible to scratch, and with proper care and cleaning, it will not stain under normal use.

Use a granite sealant for an additional layer of protection. Clean with a clean, damp cloth and use a small amount of soapy water for heavy residue or debris. Avoid ammonia, bleach or any cleaning products with solvents or caustics, as this will remove the sealant.

Marble

Marble is found in the mountainous regions of Italy, Spain, the U.S. and other countries worldwide. Because of its beauty and elegance, marble is a popular choice for countertops, floors, foyers, fireplace facings and hearths, walls, and windowsills.

Interested in buying local? Ask to see some of the beautiful white and black marbles we offer that are quarried in Vermont.

Marble adds a sophisticated element to your home, and its wonderful appearance, superior engineering characteristics and ease of maintenance make it a natural choice for floors, wall coverings and table tops, as well as bathroom walls and floors, vanity tops, tub decks, and showers.

CARE

Clean up any water or spills on marble as quickly as possible and consider adding a sealant. Do not use marble in high traffic areas of the home where dirt, sand or other particles may grind into the marble, which can permanently damage or mark the stone.

Never leave a chemical, citric or acidic item or substance on the marble.

Clean marble with a clean, slightly damp cloth and then dry with a soft towel. Avoid bleach, acidic cleaners or any abrasive household cleaners with marble, as etching and dullness may occur.

Limestone

Limestone is used for countertops, flooring, and interior and exterior wall cladding.

Limestone does not show much graining or display its crystalline structure. It has a smooth, granular surface and varies in hardness. Common colors are black, gray, white, yellow and brown. Limestone is more likely to stain than marble is. It consists mainly of calcite and contains lime from seawater.

CARE

Wipe with a clean, damp cloth if dirty.

CaesarStone

Our quartzstone products offer the ultimate combination of form and function, allowing for a more diverse, durable and practical countertop surfacing material. With its stain-, scratch- and heat-resistant properties, quartzstone is the ideal choice for care-free countertops. At Burlington Marble & Granite, we offer CaesarStone USA brand quartzstone surfaces.

Quartz is one of the most common minerals in the Earth's continental crust. It is found in nearly every geological environment and is a component of almost every rock type. In the 1950s, Charles Sawyer invented the commercial quartz crystal manufacturing process, which initiated the transition from mined and cut quartz for electrical appliances to manufactured quartz.

CARE

CaesarStone is maintenance free. Just wipe with a damp cloth.

Soapstone

For generations, New Englanders have enjoyed the beauty, durability and longevity of soapstone, and now you can too.

The reasons for soapstone's popularity are its durability and good looks. Soapstone is not a "fussy" stone, and it fits into a family's busy lifestyle. Practically indestructible, soapstone won't burn or stain, requires very little maintenance, and adds value and elegance to any home building project.

Soapstone is ideal for use in fireplace hearths, sinks and countertops, and is an excellent alternative natural stone to use in place of granite or marble.

Slate

Slate is another example of a natural stone that is frequently used in residential applications and can be used in kitchen countertops, fireplace facings and table tops.

Interested in buying local? Our region contains an abundance of high-quality slates, and we have access to all of them. Colors include green, gray, black, red and purple. The rich depth and warmth created by the natural color and texture of Vermont slate provide a distinctly comforting feeling to interior spaces.

Slate kitchen countertops, sinks and backsplashes are all available at Burlington Marble & Granite. At home or at the office, slate can be a design option for both low- and high-traffic areas. Other applications include bathroom tub surrounds, vanity tops, table and desk tops, bar tops, wall panels, and windowsills.

The slate products we sell are nonporous, anti-bacterial, stain-resistant and noncombustible. A honed finish provides stain resistance and a luxuriously rich feel to your countertops. Slate products do not require sealing as other stones do.

CARE

Rinse with water and air dry for best results.

Quartzite

Quartzite, which is predominantly silica, is a hard non-foliated metamorphic rock which was originally sandstone. Sandstone is converted into quartzite through heating and pressure related to tectonic compression. It's siliceous nature makes it a perfect choice for kitchen countertops because chemically it has a very high resistance to anything acidic.

Appearance - Pure quartzite is usually white to gray, though quartzite often occur in various shades of pink and red due to varying amounts of iron oxide (Fe2O3). Other colors, such as yellow and orange, are due to other mineral impurities.

Beneficial Features - Quartzite is a decorative stone which is used as kitchen countertops, to cover walls, as roofing tiles, in flooring, and for stair steps. Quartzite is extremely popular due to it's marble like appearance and granite like properties which makes it an ideal choice to be used in kitchen. Hardness of quartzite makes it extremely resistant to water absorption, heat & scratches.

CARE

Use a stone sealant for an additional layer of protection. There are instances when a particular block of a quartzite can have traces of calcium carbonate which can be a cause of localized etching if that particular section comes in contact with anything acidic. Quartzite even in this situation will give you more time to clean up before it starts to etch.

Travertine

Travertine is usually a cream or reddish color and is used for countertops, flooring and other interior surfaces. It is formed through the accumulation of calcite from hot springs, and it contains many of holes that were created as water flowed through the stone. In order to use travertine as a home surface, these holes are often filled with synthetic resins or cements. Travertine, which is classified as both a limestone and a marble, requires lots of maintenance if these holes are not filled.

CARE

Wipe down travertine regularly with a clean, damp cloth and then dry with a towel. Avoid abrasive, bleach or caustic cleaners, as these can stain, etch or dull the appearance of the stone.

Serpentine

Another option for marble-loving homeowners is to use a different natural stone, serpentine, for kitchen counters. Sometimes called the "green" marble, serpentine is not a true marble but offers a marble-like look. And because it is magnesium-silicate based, it is not sensitive to citric acid or other kitchen spills.

Interested in buying local? Then you will want to see the beautiful green serpentine we offer, which is quarried in Vermont.

This Vermont serpentine has a rich, dark green color with white and greenish-white veining accents. It's known in stone circles for unique coloration quality, high density and hardness. It is used for countertops, tiles, exteriors and monuments. It also is harder than many types of granite, doesn't stain and keeps its shine when exposed to the elements.

Quick Contact

If you are a human and are seeing this field, please leave it blank.

Fields marked with an * are required

Map

Something went wrong while retrieving your map, please ensure you have entered the short code correctly.